House Should Stop Trump’s Border Wall Order, ACLU Urges

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) wants to see the House use its legislative power to stop President Donald Trump’s emergency declaration to build the border wall between the United States and Mexico.

According to The Hill, the ACLU published a letter to convince lawmakers in the House chamber to support a measure that would reject the declaration.

“While the ACLU, other organizations, and numerous states have petitioned federal courts to defend the Constitution against the unlawful declaration of a non-existent emergency, H.J. Res. 46 is an opportunity for Congress to assert its own role in defending the Constitution,” the ACLU’s national politics director Ronald Newman and deputy director Christopher Anders wrote.

“You and your colleagues have the same sworn, solemn obligation that the president and every federal judge has to uphold and defend the Constitution.”

Trump declared a national emergency earlier this month to secure more federal funds to build the border wall. Lawmakers passed a Homeland Security spending bill that included around $1.4 billion for the wall, far short of Trump’s request of $5.7 billion.

The emergency declaration will pull money from the Department of Defense.